Keeping Your Life In Control By Controlling Your Arthritis

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, measure your pain. Use a scale of one to ten to let yourself know how difficult a new task is for you to accomplish. Take a measurement before the task, and again after. This will let you know how that task is effecting your body, and your life.

Keep pain relieving medications and ointments handy, such as on the countertop. If you suffer from a sudden attack, you may not want to have to reach and grab for your pills. In addition, if you have your medications in your purse or in your car, they will be available if you need them while not at home.

If you are going to be doing a lot of prep work in the kitchen, save your joints by sitting at a table instead of standing at your counter. Spending too much time in the same standing position can put a lot of unnecessary stress on your joints that you will regret later. Get a portable cutting board and take a seat at the table.

Use temperature to control the discomfort! One of the symptoms associated with Arthritis is painful joints. There are positive actions that you can take to help alleviate some of the pain. One of the proactive steps you may take is to try heat and cold therapy! Using cold and heat treatments can not only reduce the pain, it can also help reduce the stiffness associated with Arthritis.

Do as much reading and researching as you can to learn about all the new innovations in arthritis therapy, both in the mainstream world of medicine and in a vast variety of alternative therapies. By knowing what's available to you, you will be able to create the most effective and creative therapy plan to address your arthritis pain needs.

Do not stop a medication just because you feel it is not working. Most arthritis medicines take from days to months to truly make an impact on your symptoms. Never stop a new medicine without talking with your doctor first as there may be side effects from an abrupt withdrawal.

While you are not experiencing a lot of pain, it is important to make sure that you stretch your joints. You can see a physical therapist that will show you exactly which stretches will work best for you. People that are suffering from arthritis tend to feel stiffer when they first wake up and stretching is a great way to loosen everything up.

Lose weight! Excess weight can mean more pain for you. The weight can also contribute to and aggravate osteoarthritis, while increasing your risk of gout. Losing your extra pounds will have you looking and feeling better. Losing those extra pounds will also relieve the stress on your knees and hips.

In conclusion, arthritis is a condition that effects people of all kinds. If you know everything there is to know about arthritis, you may find that it is a manageable condition. Use the information that was provided to you in this article in order to make your life an arthritis-free one.

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